Ezekiel 35:7

Eze 35:7 Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.

Ver. 7. Most desolate.] See Eze 35:3. Iterum repetit, ne excidisse videatur. I am in good earnest.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 35:7-12. Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate — Hebrew, לשׁממה ושׁממה, a desolation and a desolation, or, a desolation and an astonishment, as Bishop Newton renders it, following the reading of several MSS. And cut off from it him that passeth out, &c. — No travellers shall go forward or backward in it with safety: see the margin. And thy cities shall not return — Thy cities shall not be restored to thee again. This was exactly fulfilled; for the Nabatheans having driven the Edomites out of their ancient habitations, in the time of the Babylonish captivity, they settled themselves in the southern part of Judea, where they were afterward conquered by Hyrcanus, and obliged to embrace the Jewish religion, and so became at length incorporated with that nation. — Dr. Prideaux. Because thou hast said, These two nations, &c., shall be mine — The two nations and countries here spoken of mean the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The Edomites had settled themselves in part of Judea, and hoped to have got possession both of the land of Judah and the land of Israel in time. The Ammonites had the same design, as appears from Jer 49:1. Whereas, or although, the Lord was there — Was still with his ancient people, and had not yet entirely abandoned them, or withdrawn his protection from their country, and given it up to be laid waste. These Edomites, it seems, did not believe that God had placed his name in Judea, had chosen it for the place of his peculiar residence, and would never quite relinquish his property in it. Therefore I will even do according to thine anger — As thou out of anger and envy didst hurt them, so will I hurt thee. I will make myself known among them — I will make my people see that I have not quite cast them off, by the punishments I will bring upon thee on account of the evil thou hast done to them. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord — Thou shalt then be convinced that I am the sovereign Lord of all things.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

cut off . . . him that passeth--that is, every passer to and fro; "the highways shall be unoccupied" (Eze 29:11; Jdg 5:6).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(7) Him that passeth out.—The cutting off of the traveller is a striking feature in the doom of Edom, for her nomadic tribes had been the great carriers between India and the East and Egypt, and she had grown rich by this commerce. The fierceness of the few tribes now wandering over the land make even the occasional visit of the curious traveller a matter of difficulty and danger.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. passeth out … returneth] A phrase like “shut up and free,” used to denote all classes, cf. “the shod and the barefoot” in Arab. LXX. has altered into “man and beast,” the usual phrase after “cut off,” e.g. Eze_25:13.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate,.... By shedding the blood of the inhabitants of it; and as Rome will be, when it will be utterly burnt with fire, as that city will, and the flesh of the whore also, and made desolate; and when all the vials shall be poured out on the antichristian states under her jurisdiction, Rev 16:1,

and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth: every traveller that passeth to and fro; it shall no more be frequented by merchants; nor will there be any merchandise any more in it, Rev 18:11.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

All travellers that go to or from Edom’s country, or his cities; or possibly it may intimate the close sieges with which his cities should be so begirt, that none should attempt to go out or go in, but it should cost them their life: so Jericho close besieged, none went in or out, Jos 6:1.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate; literally, desolation and a desolation (hmmvW hMm) or, as in the Revised Version, an astonishment and a desolation; changing hmm into hMvm, for which, however, there is no sufficient warrant. And I will out off him that passeth out (or, through) and him that returneth. No more should traders or travelers pass through the land of Edom or go to and return from it. (cf. Eze_33:28; Zec_7:1-5 Zec_9:8, Zec_9:10)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That passeth out - All travelers that go to or from Edom.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

This continues the message that Ezekiel is to speak to Mount Seir. The message is for all the people of Edom.

when I cut off from it anyone who passes through and returns again

Possible meanings are 1) "cut off" is a metaphor that means to destroy. AT: "I will destroy anyone who enters it or leaves it" or 2) "cut off" is a metaphor that means to stop someone from doing something. AT: "I will make it so that people do not travel back and forth through it" (See: Metaphor)

those who were killed by the sword

Here "sword" represents enemies who fought them in battle. This can be stated in active form. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 31:17. AT: "those whom enemies have killed with swords" or "those who have died in battle" (See: Active or Passive and Metonymy)

a perpetual desolation

"desolate forever." This may be an exaggeration to emphasize the destruction. (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

Your cities will not be inhabited

This can be stated in active form. This may be an exaggeration for emphasis. AT: "People will not live in your cities" (See: Active or Passive and Hyperbole and Generalization)

but you will know

Here "you" is plural. God is speaking to the people of Mount Seir, rather than to a single mountain. (See: Forms of You)

translationWords

desolate

cut off

Yahweh

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.